Emmy-nominated actor Joshua Morrow chatted about the 50th anniversary of the No.1 daytime drama “The Young and The Restless” on CBS.
Byron Pulsifer once said: “Imagine, dream, and believe in yourself. With determination and belief, you will be surprised at what you accomplish.” This quotation applies to actor Joshua Morrow.
On being on a show that has been around for five decades, he said, “It’s an incredible honor. The show obviously had a rich history before I got here. I just started my 29th year so to have been a part of it for as long as I have, and to achieve this milestone, is a Top 10 accomplishment in my life that I am proud of.”
“I am super honored that the show elected to stay with me over the years and I am happy to be a part of it,” he added.
Rory Gibson as his onscreen son Noah Newman
Morrow had great words about actor Rory Gibson, who plays his son Noah Newman. “Rory is a great dude,” he said. “Rory is a smart and talented young man. He came in and I knew on day one that he has a lot of depth to him.”
“Rory has a deep well to tap into so he is very professional and he really wants to do a good job, and he understands that this is a team sport. He fits in very nicely. I love him, he is just awesome,” Morrow added.
Mark Grossman as his onscreen brother Adam Newman
On working with Mark Grossman, Morrow said, “Mark is a really really talented actor. He has taken over the role of Adam from three other actors in the past. It’s a very powerful and complex character to play. The show invests a lot of story in the character of Adam, and you need to have some chops to pull it off.”
“Mark Grossman is handling it really well, he really is very talented. I am very happy with what he had done with Adam, it’s a completely different take than the prior actors that portrayed Adam. They give him a ton of material, he shows up, knocks it out of the park, and he does his thing. I am very proud of him,” Morrow said.
“The show loves to have Adam save Nick’s kids’ lives. I think he has done it at least six times. The kidney storyline was fantastic. I thought the writers did a great job with it, and Mark did an incredible job with it too,” he added.
Ashland Locke murder storyline
Doing the Ashland Locke murder storyline was “great” for Morrow. “I really liked being a part of it, I thought it was well done,” he said. “I really like telling stories where the Newmans band together to take on something that is threatening them, that is what that storyline allowed us to do. They really lock arms and prove that family is stronger than anything.”
Working with Conner Floyd
Morrow had positive words working with Conner Floyd in the Ashland Locke murder storyline. “Conney is great too,” he said. “Conner is a Texas guy, and he and I have a similar attitude about life. He is very funny with a dry sense of humor. He comes in very prepared and wants to do well. He is an all-around good person to add to our talented cast. Conner is able to keep up with everyone and he is trying to push the envelope each time. I am a big fan of his.”
When asked which storyline (that hasn’t been his) over the years, that he would have wanted to have been a part of, Morrow responded, “Billy Miller and Jason Thompson got to be a part of a gambling storyline. I always it would have been cool for Nick to have a gambling addiction.” “That would have been the story that I would have liked to have told to myself,” he said.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Morrow said, “It is just a different way that people consume content. There are so many more options. Growing up in Oklahoma, I remember we had five channels and that was it. Digital and streaming services provide literally millions of hours of content for people to devour. There is a myriad of different vehicles to latch onto.”
“‘The Young and The Restless’ has a very loyal and faithful following on network television. It is like the Globetrotters, it keeps winning, and we are going a good job. We work very hard and we do our best. The audiences have been very loyal and faithful to us and they keep tuning it, we are very appreciative. We are still putting up great numbers and I think the show is in very good shape moving forward, so we will see,” he added.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Morrow revealed, “Almost 50.” “You are such a huge part of your children’s lives when they are really young. You have a monster impact on them,” he said.
“I have a 20-year-old son now and a 17-year-old son now and they are basically men. I’ve done everything I can and it’s time for them to go out and carve their own path. I hope they’ve listened to and trusted what I told and taught them. Watching them grow up and carve their own path has been a real adjustment for me. I am just trying to make peace with it,” Morrow elaborated.
Superpower
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “to be able to predict the future.” “If you could do that, think of all the problems that you can solve,” he said. “I remember laying in bed at night dreaming about being a hero, wanting to save people. I wanted to be a fireman for a while. If you can do that, you can save so many people. That would be a cool superpower to have.”
Favorites
He revealed that his favorite series include “House of the Dragon” and “Game of Thrones” on HBO Max, “Alone,” “Severance,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” and “The Offer.” “I am so obsessed with ‘House of the Dragon’ right now, it’s fantastic,” he admitted.
His favorite cheat meal is “cheeseburgers and fries.” “I grew up with my dad and we would go and grab cheeseburgers together. My father and I still love cheeseburgers. There is nothing better for me than a big sloppy cheeseburger and super crispy fries,” he said.
On his favorite mottos to live by, he responded, “Just keep moving.” “That way, the results will bleed in every other facet of your life,” he said.
If he were to do any track and field event, it would be the decathlon. “Decathletes are the best athletes in the world, in my opinion,” he said.
Also, in swimming, he listed the “freestyle” as his personal favorite stroke. “There is nothing better than sprinting in the freestyle,” he said.
Success
On his definition of success, Morrow said, “Success means being able to take care of my family.”
Fans
For the dedicated “The Young and The Restless” fans, he said, “Thank you for the support.” “We have the best, the most passionate fans in the world, and they are a part of our family,” Morrow said.
“We work our tails off but we know we have a very loyal fan base that appreciates what we do. We never take them for granted,” he concluded.
To learn more about the hit soap opera “The Young and The Restless” on CBS, visit their official website.
